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Dempsey, Israeli Counterpart Pledge Ongoing Partnership

By Karen ParrishAmerican Forces Press Service

TEL AVIV, Israel, Aug. 13, 2013  On his first full day in Israel this week, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met today with Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, chief of the Israeli general staff.

After the meeting, the two generals spoke about their interaction.

After welcoming Dempsey, Gantz noted the Middle East is going through major changes that will have strategic consequences.

“We must be aware of them,” he said, noting that he and Dempsey have discussed these issues in the past and will do so again in the future.

“The cooperation between our two countries and, as a result, between our respective organizations, is a very important cooperation,” Gantz said.

Gantz said the two leaders had “very fruitful” discussions about the region and how to promote freedom, security and liberty.

He said to Dempsey, “With your leadership and your friendship, I think we can [meet] any potential challenge in this region.”

In his return comments, the chairman said this visit to Israel -- his fourth as chairman -- serves two important purposes: to continue to build the strong military-to-military relationship between the United States and Israel, and to gain regional insight from Gantz and other key leaders.

That interaction, Dempsey said, allows the two nations to compare notes and “see how we see issues as they are evolving: in Syria, in Egypt and with Iran.”

He said such senior-leader engagements, whether here or in the states, “help us understand these complex situations … and then actually illuminate not only the vulnerabilities and threats, but also the opportunities.”

The chairman’s travels will continue later this week with a visit to Jordan.